diff --git a/src/jupyterhub_config/custom_spawner.py b/src/jupyterhub_config/custom_spawner.py
index 53faf61..b0217f0 100644
--- a/src/jupyterhub_config/custom_spawner.py
+++ b/src/jupyterhub_config/custom_spawner.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import subprocess
+
 from jupyterhub.spawner import SimpleLocalProcessSpawner
 
 
@@ -14,4 +16,43 @@ def start(self):
         variables, and sets the notebook directory before starting the server.
         """
 
-        return super().start()
\ No newline at end of file
+        username = self.user.name
+
+        # Ensure the system user exists
+        self._ensure_system_user(username, group='jupyterhub')
+
+        return super().start()
+
+    def _ensure_system_user(self, username: str, group: str = None):
+        """
+        Create a system user with the given username if it does not already exist.
+        Ensure the group exists before creating the user.
+        """
+        try:
+            # Check if user already exists
+            result = subprocess.run(['id', username], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+            if result.returncode == 0:
+                self.log.info(f'User {username} already exists')
+                return
+
+            # Create the user
+            self.log.info(f'Creating system user: {username}')
+            useradd_cmd = ['sudo', 'useradd', '-r']
+
+            if group:
+                # Check if the group exists, create if necessary
+                group_check = subprocess.run(['getent', 'group', group], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+                if group_check.returncode != 0:
+                    self.log.info(f'Group {group} does not exist, creating it.')
+                    subprocess.run(['sudo', 'groupadd', group], check=True)
+                else:
+                    self.log.info(f'Group {group} already exists')
+
+                useradd_cmd.extend(['-g', group])
+
+            useradd_cmd.append(username)
+
+            subprocess.run(useradd_cmd, check=True)
+
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+            raise ValueError(f'Failed to create system user: {e}')
diff --git a/test/src/jupyterhub_config/custom_spawner_test.py b/test/src/jupyterhub_config/custom_spawner_test.py
index 0bffaf3..dc43d1f 100644
--- a/test/src/jupyterhub_config/custom_spawner_test.py
+++ b/test/src/jupyterhub_config/custom_spawner_test.py
@@ -1 +1,83 @@
-from jupyterhub_config.custom_spawner import *
\ No newline at end of file
+import subprocess
+from subprocess import CalledProcessError
+from unittest.mock import patch, MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+
+from jupyterhub_config.custom_spawner import VirtualEnvSpawner
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def mock_spawner():
+    spawner = VirtualEnvSpawner()
+    spawner.log = MagicMock()  # Mock the logger
+    return spawner
+
+
+# Test when the user already exists
+@patch('subprocess.run')
+def test_ensure_system_user_already_exists(mock_run, mock_spawner):
+    # Mock 'id' command to simulate user already exists
+    mock_run.return_value.returncode = 0
+
+    username = 'testuser'
+    mock_spawner._ensure_system_user(username)
+
+    mock_spawner.log.info.assert_called_with(f'User {username} already exists')
+    mock_run.assert_called_once_with(['id', username], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+
+
+# Test when the group and user need to be created
+@patch('subprocess.run')
+def test_ensure_system_user_create_group_and_user(mock_run, mock_spawner):
+    # Mock the 'id' and 'getent' command returncodes
+    def mock_run_side_effect(cmd, *args, **kwargs):
+        if cmd == ['id', 'testuser']:
+            return MagicMock(returncode=1)  # User does not exist
+        elif cmd == ['getent', 'group', 'testgroup']:
+            return MagicMock(returncode=2)  # Group does not exist
+        return MagicMock(returncode=0)  # Successful creation
+
+    mock_run.side_effect = mock_run_side_effect
+
+    username = 'testuser'
+    group = 'testgroup'
+    mock_spawner._ensure_system_user(username, group)
+
+    mock_spawner.log.info.assert_any_call(f'Creating system user: {username}')
+    mock_spawner.log.info.assert_any_call(f'Group {group} does not exist, creating it.')
+    mock_run.assert_any_call(['sudo', 'groupadd', group], check=True)
+    mock_run.assert_any_call(['sudo', 'useradd', '-r', '-g', group, username], check=True)
+
+
+# Test when the user is created without a group
+@patch('subprocess.run')
+def test_ensure_system_user_create_user_without_group(mock_run, mock_spawner):
+    # Mock the 'id' command to simulate user does not exist
+    mock_run.side_effect = [
+        MagicMock(returncode=1),  # User does not exist
+        MagicMock(returncode=0)  # User created successfully
+    ]
+
+    username = 'testuser'
+    mock_spawner._ensure_system_user(username)
+
+    mock_spawner.log.info.assert_any_call(f'Creating system user: {username}')
+    mock_run.assert_called_with(['sudo', 'useradd', '-r', username], check=True)
+
+
+# Test subprocess.CalledProcessError is handled correctly
+@patch('subprocess.run')
+def test_ensure_system_user_error(mock_run, mock_spawner):
+    # Mock the 'id' command to simulate user does not exist
+    # Mock 'useradd' command to raise CalledProcessError
+    mock_run.side_effect = [
+        MagicMock(returncode=1),
+        CalledProcessError(1, 'useradd')
+    ]
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Failed to create system user"):
+        mock_spawner._ensure_system_user('testuser')
+
+    mock_run.assert_any_call(['id', 'testuser'], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+    mock_run.assert_any_call(['sudo', 'useradd', '-r', 'testuser'], check=True)